Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jul. 30, 2016	Jan. 30, 2016	Aug. 01, 2015	Jan. 31, 2015
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,000	$ 1,109	$ 843	$ 2,246
Receivables	423	558	334
Merchandise inventories	5,322	5,506	5,496
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	471	479	437
Income tax receivable	0	0	0
Total Current Assets	7,216	7,652	7,110
Property and Equipment - net	7,187	7,616	7,704
Goodwill	3,897	3,897	3,897
Other Intangible Assets - net	502	514	523
Other Assets	904	897	726
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0	0
Total Assets	19,706	20,576	19,960
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	1,063	642	83
Merchandise accounts payable	1,877	1,526	1,942
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	2,514	3,333	2,277
Income taxes	23	227	64
Total Current Liabilities	5,477	5,728	4,366
Long-Term Debt	6,567	6,995	7,151
Intercompany Payable	0	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	1,448	1,477	1,449
Other Liabilities	2,164	2,123	2,150
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	4,046	4,250	4,844
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	4	3	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	4,050	4,253	4,844
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	19,706	20,576	19,960
Parent
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	621	741	511	1,908
Receivables	0	0	0
Merchandise inventories	0	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0	0
Income tax receivable	8	44	98
Total Current Assets	629	785	609
Property and Equipment - net	0	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Other Intangible Assets - net	0	0	0
Other Assets	0	0	2
Deferred Income Taxes	23	14	24
Intercompany Receivable	0	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	4,524	4,725	4,779
Total Assets	5,176	5,524	5,414
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Merchandise accounts payable	0	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	29	35	23
Income taxes	0	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	29	35	23
Long-Term Debt	0	0	0
Intercompany Payable	1,043	1,218	483
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0	0
Other Liabilities	58	21	64
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	4,046	4,250	4,844
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	4,046	4,250	4,844
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	5,176	5,524	5,414
Subsidiary Issuer
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	89	91	76	94
Receivables	146	217	85
Merchandise inventories	2,500	2,702	2,712
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	84	135	104
Income tax receivable	11	0	0
Total Current Assets	2,830	3,145	2,977
Property and Equipment - net	3,586	3,925	4,230
Goodwill	3,315	3,315	3,315
Other Intangible Assets - net	49	52	62
Other Assets	155	154	44
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	3,247	3,804	3,640
Total Assets	13,182	14,395	14,268
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	1,062	641	82
Merchandise accounts payable	825	667	930
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	1,380	1,439	980
Income taxes	0	41	10
Total Current Liabilities	3,267	2,788	2,002
Long-Term Debt	6,549	6,976	7,132
Intercompany Payable	1,667	2,582	3,151
Deferred Income Taxes	653	693	736
Other Liabilities	573	558	551
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	473	798	696
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	473	798	696
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	13,182	14,395	14,268
Other Subsidiaries
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	290	277	256	244
Receivables	277	341	249
Merchandise inventories	2,822	2,804	2,784
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	387	344	333
Income tax receivable	0	0	0
Total Current Assets	3,776	3,766	3,622
Property and Equipment - net	3,601	3,691	3,474
Goodwill	582	582	582
Other Intangible Assets - net	453	462	461
Other Assets	749	743	680
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	2,710	3,800	3,634
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0	0
Total Assets	11,871	13,044	12,453
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	1	1	1
Merchandise accounts payable	1,052	859	1,012
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	1,105	1,859	1,274
Income taxes	42	230	152
Total Current Liabilities	2,200	2,949	2,439
Long-Term Debt	18	19	19
Intercompany Payable	0	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	818	798	737
Other Liabilities	1,533	1,544	1,535
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	7,298	7,731	7,723
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	4	3	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	7,302	7,734	7,723
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	11,871	13,044	12,453
Consolidating Adjustments
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	$ 0
Receivables	0	0	0
Merchandise inventories	0	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0	0
Income tax receivable	(19)	(44)	(98)
Total Current Assets	(19)	(44)	(98)
Property and Equipment - net	0	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Other Intangible Assets - net	0	0	0
Other Assets	0	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	(23)	(14)	(24)
Intercompany Receivable	(2,710)	(3,800)	(3,634)
Investment in Subsidiaries	(7,771)	(8,529)	(8,419)
Total Assets	(10,523)	(12,387)	(12,175)
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Merchandise accounts payable	0	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0	0
Income taxes	(19)	(44)	(98)
Total Current Liabilities	(19)	(44)	(98)
Long-Term Debt	0	0	0
Intercompany Payable	(2,710)	(3,800)	(3,634)
Deferred Income Taxes	(23)	(14)	(24)
Other Liabilities	0	0	0
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	(7,771)	(8,529)	(8,419)
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	(7,771)	(8,529)	(8,419)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	$ (10,523)	$ (12,387)	$ (12,175)